The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-01-13
OVER-TAXATI0N.
The Sensible and Sound Views OF Mr.
Michael D. Harter,
In His Response to the Toast "The Surplus
Revenue; There VIII be None
When the Taxes (Outles)
are Justly Imposed"

larly able address In MS response 10 tnt
following toast:
"The Surplus Revenue: There will be
none when the taxes (duties) are just
ly imposed"
MR., PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN:-l
am certain yO1 do not expect an elab
crate or statistical response to the toast
lust read. The naked fact stRres us IL
the face that the government Is now
taking from the people In taxes about
$125 600 900 a year more than Is needed
to pay its legitimate expenses ana that
this system Of over taxation has been
going on for seven years. Up to this
time we have been able to use portion
of this vast surplus In the redemption
of the interest bearing debt of the
United States, and such expenditure has
no doubt, been the wisest use we cOu d
under the circumstances make OF 1t. ln
addition there has ben very
large sum, amounting to $4,000 =
600 per month, or $24000,000 per
year, wasted In the purchase of silver
bullion and the coinage of light weight
silver dollars--a kiEd OF government
confidence game more worthy Of gang
of cOunterfeiters than Of reputable
nation. Dollars which the people don't
want, which the government cannot
force into any but temporary circula-
tion, and for which there Is no demand
In any other part Of the world; for China
even, which swallowed the Trade dollar,
a million at mOuthful, will have none
Of them.
We have In this way taken the enOr-
nous sum of $24000,000 per annum for
years by force from the earnings Of our
whole people to invest them ! the pro-
duct, aud to provide a market for the
property of very small fraction Of our
population, for even in Colorado the
silver producers are very small mi
nOrity of the people, and to compare the
silver bullion owners with the people OF
the whole nation, would b9 like setting
small pebble along side Of CnimbOT8z }.
If the government WIS justified In
buying the products Of any of its citi.
zens, IL should have bought wheat, coal,
pig iron, wool, cotton, soft soap or
dried apples; In other words, some arti
Gle or thing In which a larger per cent.
age OF our people are interested "a pro
duceTs; but am certain that the in-
stincts Of any man who deserves the
name of Democrat will tell him 1t is
UnWise, unjust and oppressive to tax
the whole people in order to
use the proceeds in the purchase
of anything for which the government
has no need, We have absolutely at
this time no need of any Surplus Rev.
enue whatever and there Is only one
rational Democratic conclusion to be
reached, which is that all the money not
needed by the government should be
left In the hands of the people; for 1t Is
an axiom, Democratic axiom, may
say, with pride, (1nIe5s Rlndallism Is {
be considered Democracy that the taxes
taken from the people should be- limited
to the needs Of the government ecOnOm'
ically administered. II we go on tax
Ing more taxes from the people thar
are needed the consequences In the
future will be worse than In the past
for up to this time we have been able tC
use about fOUT.d'ths Of tbe Surplu,
Revenue In the purchase of the interest
bearing debt of the country, but now as
we already hEv9 more surplus money In
the treasury than can be so used (fOI
only about $60,000000 remain which
we can call in and pay) and
as none Of our interest bearing
debt natures before 1891, and then only
$250000000, after which no more of the
debt natures until 1907; we shall only
accumulate 8nd pile up in the treasury
q vast sum Of the peoples money, which
vicious aud unnecessary accumulation
will be q constant menace to decent and
economical government, temptation, O
source of corruption and the foundation
for Jobs Of the worst character.
What cheese house filled from cellar
to garret Is to rat, an OVerfOWing
treasury is to Congressman. We have
no right to put such temptation before
any man aud it will as certainly make
the average Congressman q rascal as
that twenty-four hours In the rain with.
out an umbrella will wet his clothes
There may be, and doubtless are, d few
men who could withstand such fiery
ordeal, but there are very few. We may
have q Shadrsch, 9 Meshach and an Abed
neg0, who would emerge from such q
farnace without the smell of FIRE on
their garments, but II Ia dollars to cents
that we could not show score of them
The now too frequent scandal of Ill.
gotten and poorly concealed wealth
among members Of Congress would be
multiplied until all the under-pinning
which serves to support and sustain
honesty In public station would be rot.
ted away and we should have an abnor
NAL demand for increased penitentiary
facilities and enlarged accommodation
In all refOrmatoTy institutions, unless
indeed IL should become 90 bad as tC
Oanarol dononh IN do q
with them altogether aud abandon the
country to rascality and ruin under the
leading guiding hand of Congress.
But you will agree, my COuntrymeD
that what we want, need and musi
have, is pure gOvernmentand the utmost
measure Of public decency and good be
haviOr at Washington, and this we can
insure only by keeping the treasury
bare and by paying into 1t only what Is
needed, and by allowing every citizen tC
keep the balance of his earnings for the
use of himself and his family. This Ii
not only sound Democracy but 1t is also
the language OF common sense.
Aside, however, from the corrupting
influence of surplus revenue and al
Overhowing treasury, there would be
other serious results. Suppose 1t to bG
possible that every influence toward
lavish and corrupt expenditure could be
controlled, and that not dollar was
wasted, but that all taxes we're honestly
collected, carefully placed In the treas
uEy and faithfully kept there; 1t is still
easy to see that 1t would be withdraw
ing from the business of the country
nearly half million of dollars per day
not needed by the government, but ab'
sOlutely required to carry on Its enter
prises and needed to pay the wages Of
Its millions Of workers. Soon we would
find the industries Of the country
suffering from foundation to roof, fol
no nation exists on the earth to-day
which can sustain the daily drain from
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